One day at Amoeba Hollywood I proclaimed that Aztec Camera's 1983 release High Land, Hard Rain was one of the best records of the '80s. This single statement eventually led to over 200 Amoebites ranking their top 10 favorite albums from the ‘80s.

From the beginning we realized that it was impossible for most of us to condense our favorites from all genres into a tiny top ten list. So, we limited our lists to Rock/Pop and its sub-genres like punk, metal, goth, and new wave. Even so, it was a difficult selection process because not only are there hundreds of amazing records to consider, there is also the added dynamic of time.

The '80s were a long time ago and the music has had many years to gestate. We have a deep sense of nostalgia and sentiment with these albums as our fondest memories are associated with them. These are albums we LOVE.

One day at Amoeba Hollywood I proclaimed that Aztec Camera's 1983 release High Land, Hard Rain was one of the best records of the '80s. This single statement eventually led to over 200 Amoebites ranking their top 10 favorite albums from the ‘80s.

From the beginning we realized that it was impossible for most of us to condense our favorites from all genres into a tiny top ten list. So, we limited our lists to Rock/Pop and its sub-genreslike punk, metal, goth, and new wave. Even so, it was a difficult selection process because not only are there hundreds of amazing records to consider, there is also the added dynamic of time.

The '80s were a long time ago and the music has had many years to gestate. We have a deep sense of nostalgia and sentiment with these albums as our fondest memories are associated with them. These are albums we LOVE.

Depeche Mode have always been know for their remixes. They take this stuff seriously. These are not just your everday remixes. This is the good stuff. I am actually not even really a fan of remixes. I mostly associate them with artists like Cher and Madonna. But the remix can be an awesome reinterpretation of one of your favorite songs. Depeche Mode and the artists that remix them usually take a song and create a whole new song. Sometimes it might take you a minute to even place the song. They have also been know to make a mediocre song great. And a great song amazing. They released their first collection of remixes back in 2004. Remixes 81-04 was available as a 3CD set and a single disc set. They had also released their fancy single box sets years early. These six box sets included all of their original singles with the b-sides and remixes. But this new collection went a bit farther and included mostly remixes that I had never heard before. I listened to these remix albums for months. I have loved this band since I can remember loving anything. So it is always fun to hear a new version of one of your favorite songs from your youth. I really didn't think there were very many more remixes out there. But Depeche Mode has done it again and released another 3CD set of remixes. Depeche Mode Remixes 2: 81-11. This collection covers the period between 2004 and 2011 not covered on their last remix album. But it also goes deep into the early years as well. It includes remixes of Strangelove, World In My Eyes, Never Let Me Down Again, Leave in Silence, Puppets, A Question of Time, Everyting Counts, & Happiest Girl. As you would expect, this new compilation of remixes is amazing. It is obviously not meant for anyone who is not a fan of the band already. If you don't like Depeche Mode then you will not be liking these remixes. But if you are a fan then you are in for a treat. I will probably be listening to nothing but Depeche Mode for the next couple of weeks. If you were one of the lucky ones then you may have also picked up the limited edition remix 12" available with purchase of this new album. We only got a handful unfortunately.

A while ago, right here in this blogosphere, I shared a memorable, if somewhat goofy, moment I experienced in conversation with Blonde Redhead where it was determined that their signature sound is, seasonally speaking, " cold, like winter," punctuated by drummer Simone Pace's joking that they've been trying to score a "summer hit" all these years. True, there's nothing very ruddy or relaxing about the raw, malodorous roots they laid down in their hard-rocking early days, prompting fans to coin the multilingual heart-breakers as "art rock" darlings while some persnickety critics underrated them as Sonic Youth wannabes. Alas, that "certain damaged" sound that Guy Picciotto (of Fugazi and Rites of Spring fame) coaxed into the production Blonde Redhead's middle children albums (In An Expression of the Inexpressible, Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons and Misery is a Butterfly) is as gone as the no wave, DNA inspired D.I.Y. joie de vivre captured on the band's Steve Shelly (of, duh, Sonic Youth fame) produced self-titled debut as well as that of their self-produced, non-slump of a sophomore effort La Mia Vita Violenta and it's bewitching follow-up Fake Can Be Just As Good (sigh). However, I believe congratulations are in order as it seems that Blonde Redhead have, with Penny Sparkle --- their eighth full-length album in fifteen years, their third record for the 4AD label --- created the most lusciously polished, goth jewel of a make-out record since the Cure's Disintegration dropped in 1989.